ICT in Mathematics Teaching

How can we make the classroom practice a mathematics class at students ICT friendly?

ICT: ICT is information and communication technology in education deal with the use of information and communication technologies within education technology. ICT is the technology required for the information processing, in particular the use of electronic computer communication devices and software application to convert, store protect process, transmit and retrieve information from anywhere any time.


A Study on the Use of ICT in Mathematics Teaching:

ICT integration in mathematics education provides mathematics teachers with integrative teaching methods that motivate students learning, support their independent learning and active participation in the discovery of mathematics concepts and topics, and, as a result, helps them have deeper understanding of the mathematical ideas. So, the integration of ICT in the teaching and learning of mathematics, as a result of ICT educational affordances, helps students have better achievement in mathematics. Educational situation is enabled due to the potentialities of the technological tools because they encourage the students’ active roles and independence. Teachers’ perceptions of their ability in ICT teachers’ attitudes towards ICT contribution to students’ mathematics learning, teachers emotions towards the use of ICT in mathematics classroom, teachers felling of self esteem and control in the presence of ICT in the mathematics classroom, and teachers intention to actually integrate ICT in their teaching. Some programs are used in Nepal for teaching and learning.

1.  Calculator
2.  Geo-gebra
3.  Mathematica
4.  Midase-class
5. Virtual class

Reason for ICT usages in mathematics education

1.  Students need to develop good computational skills, and they also need to understand
2. math concepts. Help students to develop good math problem solving skills.
3.  Encourage students to use met cognitive strategies. Guide students to monitor their progress in solving math problems and becoming more competent at math.
4.  Make more interesting for students.
5.  Enhance creativity and collaboration.
6.  Change the social organization of the classroom to be more learners centered.
7.  It maintains the higher quality of education and new ways of interaction.
8.  Encourage explorations and higher order thinking.
9. Students should have more time to discuss the result rather than merely the graphs peers. 
10. School administrators should be encourage teachers to use them if they can enhance teaching and learning.

Barriers faced by teacher:

1.  Not enough or limited access to computer hardware.
2.  Availability of computer software.
3.  Lack of time in school schedule for projects involving ICT.
4.  Lack of adequate technical support for ICT projects.
5.  Not enough teacher training opportunities for ICT projects.
6.  Lack of knowledge about ways to integrate ICT to enhance curriculum.
7.  ICT integration is not a school priority.
8.  Difficult finding substitutes in order for teacher to attend training.
9.  Students do not have access to necessary technology at home.
10.  Teachers do not have access to the necessary technology at home.
11.  Integrating and using different ICT tools in a single lesson.

Conclusion:

The usage of ICT in teaching mathematics can make the teaching process more effective as well as enhance the students’ capabilities in understanding basis concepts. Nevertheless, implementing its use in teaching is not without problems as numerous barriers may arise. The types of barriers have been identified in the study.